Spring Fest: a laid-back music festival perfect for enjoying the spring season

favorite_borderLast updated:2024/8/3

• Music Festival Master / Editor-in-ChiefKeisuke Hane
  Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC and in charge of music festivals. When I attended my first music festival as a freshman in college, I was captivated by its charm—“I can’t believe there’s a place this free and this fun.” I share information about wonderful music festivals every day to help grow the community of festival fans.

Top 3 recommended spring festivals

First, here are three must-see spring festivals I especially recommend this season.

These are all recommended events with a spring-like atmosphere.

Mori, Michi, Ichiba | Aichi Prefecture

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Mori, Michi, Ichiba, a music festival held in Aichi Prefecture.

The venue is Laguna Beach in Gamagori, which often hosts other music festivals as well.

As the theme suggests—a market of goods, food, and music—the charm of Mori, Michi, Ichiba lies in its stalls offering handmade crafts and carefully curated foods.

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It also has a “space” concept, and everywhere in the venue is cute and stylish—I think it’s great for social media, too!

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Tor Road Acoustic Festival | Hyogo Prefecture

https://www

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com/toracofes/

Stylish city, Kobe.

In Kobe, there is a street with an exotic, foreign atmosphere called Tor Road.

Tor Road, which was developed in the 1860s as a road leading to the foreign settlement, remains a popular area where you can still feel the atmosphere of that era.

The event held on Tor Road is the Tor Road Acoustic Festival, commonly known as AkoFes.

At this circuit-style event using live music venues and facilities around Tor Road, acoustic performances—such as solo singer-songwriter sets—perfectly matched to the atmosphere of Tor Road will unfold.

One of the appeals of circuit-style events is that you get to enjoy the local townscape. If you’re attending ACO FES in particular, paying attention to the townscape as well might make it even more enjoyable.

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Celebrate the First Spring Breeze | Osaka Prefecture

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Shukuharu Ichiban is an outdoor music festival held in Osaka.

The predecessor of this event is a concert called Haru Ichiban, which began in 1971.

At that time, outdoor music festivals didn’t exist, and this event—launched under the inspiration of America’s Woodstock—became a pioneering presence in Japan’s outdoor festival scene.

After a hiatus of about 15 years, the event has been held again since 2006 under the new title “Shuku Haru Ichiban.”

With this background, Shuku Haru Ichiban can be called Japan’s longest-running spring festival and is an essential event among spring music festivals.

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Recommended spring festivals by month

From here, we’ll introduce recommended spring festivals month by month.

If you're looking for a place to go out, consider checking out a music festival.

A festival held in March

Nishi-Ogi Lovers Fes | Tokyo

http://nishiogi-lovers

com/

Nishiogi Lovers Festival, held in Nishi-Ogikubo, Tokyo.

The event is packed with the unique charm of Nishi-Ogikubo, and it’s being held with the hope that this event will make people fall in love with Nishi-Ogikubo and help make it an even more wonderful town.

The venue will have a festival-like atmosphere, with not only live performances but also food stalls and shops selling miscellaneous goods.

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There are plenty of areas for children to enjoy, so we recommend attending with your family.

Kura Jazz Festival | Kyoto Prefecture

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com/pg/kurajazz

Kura Jazz Festival, a jazz festival held in Fushimi—Kyoto’s sake-brewing district.

It’s a circuit-style event held at sake breweries and eateries in Fushimi.

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The Fushimi-Momoyama area, where the event will be held, is not only known for its sake breweries but also as a stage of late-Edo history, with popular historical spots like Ryoma Street and Teradaya among the highlights.

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If you like history, I highly recommend taking a stroll between shows.

Oto-Yoi Walk | Fukushima Prefecture

https://www

facebook.

com/otoyoi2013/

Otoyoi Walk, held at Iizaka Onsen in Fukushima Prefecture.

This event was launched as a music festival in a hot spring town in response to the decline in tourists caused by reputational damage from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear accident.

With the concept of showcasing the charms of Iizaka Onsen, tickets with accommodation plans are also available, and after the performance you can enjoy a meal and hot springs at a ryokan.

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As the new fiscal year begins, how about refreshing yourself with a live performance and an overnight stay in a hot spring town?

SpringLove Harukaze | Tokyo Metropolis

SpringLove Harukaze, held at Yoyogi Park and Daikanyama UNIT.

It seems the event originally started as a cherry-blossom viewing party for the festival staff working behind the scenes.

During the event period, the cherry blossoms in Yoyogi Park are in bloom, offering the charm of enjoying hanami while listening to music.

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A quintessentially springlike festival—highly recommended for the season.

Festivals held in April and May

Iwakuni Jazz Street | Yamaguchi Prefecture

https://www

facebook.

com/iwakunijazzstreet/

Iwakuni Jazz Street is a jazz festival held in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

A “Jazz Street” is what’s known as a circuit-style event, where live performances are held at multiple venues around town, such as restaurants and music spots.

It’s truly a music festival where the entire city overflows with music.

In 2018, the first day is a hall concert, and the second day is a jazz street event titled “Machinaka Jazz.”

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Django Camp | Yamanashi Prefecture

Django Camp, a camp festival themed around Manouche jazz.

The inspiration for this event began when the atmosphere of the campsite venue felt as if it were inhabited by the Roma people, the originators of Manouche jazz.

I heard this campground has covered wagon–style cabins you can stay in, and the scenery is guaranteed to be Instagram-worthy!

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Also, at Django Camp, you can have a barbecue if you bring your own ingredients.

During the event, the entire campsite will be reserved exclusively, so you can enjoy a campfire, play acoustic guitar all night, and there will even be an outdoor theater.

A recommended spring festival where you can fully enjoy the delights of Manouche jazz and camping.

CAMPASS | Chiba Prefecture

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jp/2017-2/photo/

Titled CAMPASS—a coined word that combines “camp” and “compass,” as in a compass for direction—this festival aims to be a DIY event originating from the regions, delivering wonderful music that resonates through a venue rich in nature.

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jp/2017-2/photo/

A festival where you can enjoy music and nature all day in a warm, handmade-feel venue.

Since it's held at the end of May, the spring weather should be just right and pleasant, don't you think?

The world, forever | Kyoto Prefecture

http://sekaiwa

info/

“Itsudemodemosekaiwa,” a circuit-style event held at live music venues and shops around Kawaramachi in Kyoto.

It’s a major circuit festival held every year that takes over all of Kawaramachi.

It is held with the intention of creating a festival that brings together not only music but also a variety of genres, giving off a “somehow fun” atmosphere.

Among the many venues, some offer free live performances, and you might stumble into one and discover a wonderful artist.

Lastly

Rock festivals where you can have a blazing, all-out good time—like summer fests—are also held in this season, but this time we’ve chosen to introduce a laid-back festival that’s perfectly suited to spring.

Many spring festivals are easy to join with a casual, day-out vibe, so why not check out the recommended spring fests we introduced—whether with your family, your significant other, or your music buddies?